


Something new, altogether

by Ihni



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Boyfriends, Christmas, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Neglect, Poetry, Rhymes, bad childhood experiences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:35:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21823774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ihni/pseuds/Ihni
Summary: Two boys with bad experiences of Christmas, finding each other and making the holiday their own.For the Harringrove Holiday Exchange 2019.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 18
Kudos: 29
Collections: Harringrove Holiday Exchange 2019





	Something new, altogether

**Author's Note:**

  * For [puglover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/puglover/gifts).



Christmas, for one of them, used to be grand;  
Parties, hors d’oeuvres, decorations, a band  
He used to dress up, like his parents, and smile  
And listen to adults who partied with style

Hushed around seven, forgotten by eight  
He used to sneak up to his room with a plate  
And watch some TV, and take off his tie  
And curl up in bed, open presents, and cry

When he got older, the parties were moved  
To various cities where they’d be _improved_  
He was invited, of course, every year  
But Christmas, since then, was forlornness and beer

***

In the other one’s house, celebration was rare  
Since his mom left, there was no one to care  
He didn’t get gifts – if he did, it was junk  
His father got angry and usually drunk

Generally, he shrugged it off, played it cool  
When people would ask him about it in school  
Afterwards, he would fall back on excuses  
To explain away any lingering bruises

He spent many Christmases out, on the streets  
Or hiding in bed, under blankets and sheets  
When he got older, he’d party away  
And wake up hungover the following day

***

When they found each other, they started off wrong:  
Both of them stubborn, both of them strong  
They fought and they snarled and they bit and they bled  
Before they both fell, or were tripped, into bed

First, they agreed – it was just about sex  
But before long, what they had turned complex  
It soon became clear that this was no affair  
They started to _talk_ , and they started to _care_

When one had a nightmare, the other would wake him  
When one fell apart, the other’d remake him  
They learned of the parents who carried the blame  
They learned of the ways that the two were the same

***

Fast forward to Christmas – and they’re still together  
And going through something that’s new, altogether  
Instead of a party, they’re just home alone  
And growing aware that they’re fine on their own

They drink and they laugh and they tease and they shove  
They kiss, they eat pizza, they smoke, they make love  
They exchange some gifts, which are terribly wrapped  
No one’s forgotten; no one is slapped

They spend the next morning together in bed  
There’s three little words that still hasn’t been said  
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart” says one of the teens  
“Merry Christmas, baby” – they both know what it means

**Author's Note:**

> For puglover, who wanted a bit of hurt/comfort with fluff, maybe Christmas themed. I'm pretty sure this isn't what you had in mind, and I'm sorry, but I hope you'll like it anyway!


End file.
